1998 KineJun Best 10

[Mark Schilling]

>From: Mark Schilling <schill at gol.com>
> To: KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
> Cc: aya_f at altamira.co.jp
> Subject: Re: 1998 KineJun Best 10
> Date: Thursday, January 07, 1999 

My first reaction to the Kinejun list might be summed up as yappari
ojisanpoi da ne. All the predictable festival winners and the big
mainstream "humanistic" films with prominent names attached. No animation,
no documentaries, no first-time directors, no directors younger than 38
(the age of Miike Takashi, the baby of the group). Also, the most popular
live-action film of the year and one of the most entertaining, Odoru
Daisosasen, is not on the list -- tainted by its TV origins perhaps?

I'm glad to see that "Ganbatte Ikimashoi" made it so high on the list,
though -- it's a beautifully made film that has been shamefully neglected
by festival programmers. Maybe its Kinejun selection will give it a boost.
We can only hope.

Mark Schilling